


Bon Apetit

by Miyotesse



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/F, Gen, Micro, Shrinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-15
Packaged: 2018-05-26 11:04:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6236173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miyotesse/pseuds/Miyotesse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With most of the class already going through the Akumatisation process, Ladybug and Chat Noir begin to grow worried that Rose has yet to be targetted. With a big Picnic planned by the girl looming on the horizon, tensions are running high, with Chloe running her mouth and being a general pain. Will Rose become an Akuma? Will the Picnic be a success? Read on to find out more!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Grand Picnic

"Good morning Juleka!" Rose chirped loudly as the tall girl entered the classroom.  Juleka smiled in response, waving to her friend as she walked up to her desk.

"'mornin'" she mumbled in response, not out of any sort of gruffness or foul mood, it was simply how she was. Rose understood this, and smiled back, happy to know that her best friend was feeling like herself. The blonde haired girl hummed happily to herself as she prepared her desk for the morning lesson, waiting for the rest of the class to arrive.

“Hi Alix, great race yesterday! Morning Nino, I saw you on TV yesterday, you were awesome! Ah! Marinette, just who I was looking for! Was your father able to bake enough treats for this afternoon? If not, I can always rush home now and bake some extra cookies! I might just do that anyway, you can never have too many cookies, oh, but we have lessons and…” she went on, greeting her classmates as they came in, before a hand rested upon her shoulder with a faint clatter of metal on metal. Rose’s eyes widened, and she turned to look at Juleka’s mirror bearing hand, sighing faintly. “I did it again, huh?” she asked, and the dark haired girl nodded with a look of concern.

“Don’t worry about it Rose, no harm no foul! My dad gave me a whole basket of goodies for the picnic today, don’t worry! Between this and all the snacks everyone else has brought, I’m sure it’ll be a total success!” Marinette said with a grin, which quickly faded as she felt a shoulder shove into her shoulder, knocking her off balance, almost causing her to spill the large wicker basket of baked snacks all over the floor.

“Hmph! What a silly idea! A school wide picnic to promote interaction between classes, how ridiculous. I can barely tolerate spending my time among you losers, why would I ever want to speak with someone I can’t even steal homework from?” Chloe snapped as she walked past Marinette, closely followed by her cohort Sabrina.

“Hey, watch where you’re going Chloe! You almost ruined the whole thing!” Alya snapped from her seat, pushing herself upright with a glare on her face. Rose glanced from her to Chloe to Marinette, and, after a moment or two of consideration, stepped in between the three girls.

“Wait! Like you said, no harm no foul, right Marinette? Chloe probably didn’t mean to knock the snacks out of your hand, and you were stood in the doorway. Chloe, it’s not nice to barge past people though. I think it’s best if we say nothing more about it, and leave it be,” she said hurriedly. Awkward silence filled the air, before Alya sat back down, turning away from Chloe with a huff. The Bourgeois girl did the same, leaving Marinette and Rose to sigh with relief.

“My father was able to make that specific treat you asked for too. He said it was difficult to get fresh mango out of season, but he has his ways. It’s in the blue tupperware box,” Marinette whispered to Rose, who nodded, and mouthed a silent thank you to the girl.

“You rock,” Juleka said to Rose as the shorter girl returned to her seat. She giggled softly, and smiled up at her friend.

“I only did it because I know how much you hate the screaming matches those two can get into. Any time I can promote peace, I will, for my Juleka,” she said, causing the other girl to blush faintly.

 

During the day, the central courtyard of the school was gradually filled with tables and chairs, as each class had agreed to bring in some necessary items for the ‘Grand Picnic’ as Rose had called it. The idea had been hers initially, she had wanted to do it just for the class, but Miss Bustier had taken the idea and run with it, broadening it to the whole school. Weeks of planning were coming to a head, and, as lunchtime drew closer, Rose grew more and more nervous. She wasn’t the only one though. Both Adrien and Marinette seemed to be growing restless as the time grew closer, and both seemed focused on Rose.

“Uugh, this stress is starting to get to me. I can’t take much more of it,” Adrien commented once he had excused himself to the toilet.

“I know what you mean! I can smell all the delicious, gooey camembert from here, but I can’t go and get it! Such a tragedy,” Plagg lamented as he emerged from the boy’s inner pocket.

“This is serious, Plagg! You remember what Ladybug said. If something happens to ruin this even, Rose’ll become a prime target for akumatisation! The closer we are to it happening, the easier it’ll be to stop it!” he said, as the qwami rolled his eyes at the boy.

“So, what, you’re just gunna stalk the girl all day?” the tiny cat-like creature asked.

“If that’s what it takes, yes,” Adrien replied, determination on clear in his expression.

 

“Calm down Marinette! If you keep stressing like this, you might **make** something bad happen! Rose is relying on you and your father’s snacks, remember!” Tiki commented to Marinette, who had also excused herself for a moment’s respite.

“I know, I know. I’m just so worried about her. You heard what Chat Noir said, she’d be a prime target if things went wrong. True, I had already figured that out, and warned Adrien and Alya about it, but still. If even that kitty litter brained goof was able to figure it out, Hawkmoth must be keeping a close eye on things!” Marinette exclaimed, her head in her hands.

“Well, just try and stay calm. I know it’s odd for me to say it, but, pretend that you’re not Ladybug for the day. Just keep everything focused on the picnic, not the potential threat,” the little black and red creature said with a smile. Marinette nodded her head, and cupped the tiny creature in her hands, pulling her in for a gentle embrace.

“Thanks Tiki. I’ll try to keep that in mind,” she said, brushing herself down as the qwami hid about her person.

 

The bell for lunch rang throughout the school, and there came an almighty cheer from class 7 of the College Francoise Dupont as they surged out into the courtyard, ready to set out the goodies that had been prepared. While the rest of the school watched in a mixture of amusement and amazement, the class, save for Chloe and Sabrina, set out heaps and heaps of food they had made, had donated, or bought, and through their efforts, the tables were filled with a plethora of delicacies. The head teacher gave a short announcement over the tannoy, thanking the class for their efforts, and inviting everyone in the school to enjoy themselves. The courtyard quickly filled with the denizens of the school, eager to sample the sweet, savory, and most importantly, free food that had been put on for them.

“Oh wow, I never realised there were this many people at the school! And here I thought we had brought way too much food!” Nino commented as he and a few others from CFD7 watched from the balcony.

“Yeah, we’d better get down there if we want to get our own lunch in,” Nathanael said.

“Haha, you slowpokes need to get down there, it’s pretty manic,” Alix said as she climbed the metal steps alongside Kim, her main sporting rival. The two had plates piled high with cheese stuffed breaded chilli peppers, and had determined looks on their faces.

“Oh no! People aren’t being rude are they? I didn’t want anyone to be rude!” Rose said, gasping upon hearing this. She hurried down the steps, closely followed by Adrien and Marinette.

“Everything’s going to be OK, Rose,” Adrien said as they arrived at the throng of people.

“Everyone… please, stop pushing and shoving! Um…. This isn’t good, please, you all need to…” Rose attempted, but the noise of the crowd was growing, and she could barely be heard above it. Marinette quickly glanced around, trying to figure out a way out of the situation. As she glanced back up to her friends, an idea came to her.

“Wait here with Adrien. When the time comes to speak, you’ll know,” she said to Rose, smiling brightly. She ran back up the stairs, and ran to Ivan, the colossal short haired male, whispering something into his ear. He grinned widely, and took in a deep breath.

“ **Heeeeeeeeyyyyyyy!!!!!** ” he roared at the top of his voice, the echo reverberating around the whole school and beyond, causing birds to scatter far and wide. Everyone in the school grew quiet.

“Um… I know you’re all excited about this event! But please be calm and orderly about it! We have more food in case something you like runs out, members of class 7 will be around to refresh plates that get emptied. The most important thing is to have fun, and if we’re shoving and shouting, we’re not going to be enjoying ourselves, so please, be a little patient, and a little calm,” Rose said, her heart pounding against her chest. The crowd murmured a little, and it seemed there was an agreement among them, as they returned to devouring the snacks with a touch more decorum than before.

 

“Hmph. The little pixie needs a giant to roar for her. How ridiculous, we're a laughing stock!” Chloe huffed as she watched the events unfold. She had taken up a position a little way away from the rest of the class, but still within earshot of the group. Juleka shot the girl a glare, which Sabrina caught, whispering something into Chloe's ear. The two then stormed over to her, crossing their arms one after another.

“What?” Juleka asked, cautiously.

“Don't think I didn't see you trying to death stare me, you creepy vampire girl! You know, you and the pixie make the perfect pair, mythical creatures that should. Not. Exist!” she said, prodding Juleka in the chest. The tall girl bunched her fists, glaring darkly at her again. “Ohh, so scary. With all that growling, I might think you're a werewolf, not a vampire. Still creepy, still pathetic, still not worthy of existing. Come on Sabrina, let's go see if any of that food actually is edible,” she went on, pushing past Juleka. Sabrina moved to follow, as Juleka turned back, flashing the ginger haired girl another glare that made the girl squeak, and sidle past hurriedly. The tall girl sighed, leaning against the railings. She could feel a sob welling up inside her, Chloe really knew how to cut into her. The girl let out a faint whimper as she fought against her urge to cry, and right when she felt she was losing her control, she felt a hand upon her shoulder.

“Juleka?” Rose whispered, looking over at her with concern. The girl sniffed, and rubbed her eyes free of moisture, turning to face her friend. “Ahh! No, no no! Who's done this to you? Was it Chloe again? Ohhh, I'm so sorry Juleka! And on today too...” she lamented, hugging the girl tightly.

“It's fine, she didn't ruin your day,” Juleka replied, smiling weakly. Rose pouted, brushing the small bundle of purple locks away from her obscured eye.

“But she ruined your day. Your birthday,” she replied, causing Juleka to blush.

“I thought you'd forgotten...” The girl mumbled softly. Rose chuckled softly, and leaned up, standing up on tiptoes to try and bring herself onto the same level as the girl, inadvertently leaning against her to do so.

“Silly! Like I'd forget my Juleka's birthday. I have a surprise for you. Come on, I know you'll enjoy it,” she said with a smile.

 

Down in the thronging crowd, Juleka followed where Rose lead, until she was brought to the central table, a large, round table filled with Marinette's fathers treats.

“Now, I know you're not usually one for sweet snacks, you love spicy foods, buuuut, I also know that you have a weak spot for a certain Mango pastry,” Rose said, clapping her hands with glee as she saw Juleka's eyes light up. The blonde began to search the table for the tupperware pot she had left hidden behind one of the displays, but she could only find the discarded lid. “Oh no. Oh nooo,” she began.

“Mmmmhh! This is to die for!! Who knew Marinette's father could actually bake well! Mmmh, almost as good as a 5 star chef's dessert!” Chloe's voice came from nearby. Juleka and Rose turned to see the spoiled girl eating her way through half of a mango napoleon pastry. Juleka's brow furrowed, and she turned back to Rose, who seemed to be shaking.

“Chloe!” she snapped loudly, storming over to the girl, who looked across at her with feigned interest.

“What do you want, pixie girl?” Chloe asked, stabbing her fork into the snack again.

“That snack was supposed to be for Juleka! You stole it!” Rose replied, stopping a short distance from the girl. “It was her birthday present!” she added, her voice breaking slightly. Chloe let out a coarse laugh.

“Hahaha! What a pathetic present! Some little snack, is that really all she means to you? Juleka's lucky I ate her sickly little treat, it'd save her the effort of having to swallow down this oversacharined mess!” Chloe said, and to demonstrate her point, she let the plate fall to the ground, causing what remained of the cake to smush into a mess of pastry and fruit. Rose fell to her knees to try and catch it, but she was unable to. All around them, the crowd had parted, and students from all over the school were watching the scene with interest. Rose meanwhile had taken hold of the fork that had dropped along with the food.

“You... you **only ever care about yourself!** ” she shouted, tears rolling down her eyes. She stood suddenly, and lashed out at Chloe with her open palm, slapping the girl in the cheek with all her might.


	2. Sweet Treats

“Mr Damocles, my father is on his way! If you don't have this girl **arrested** before he gets here, I don't doubt he will do everything in his power to get this school **shut down!** ” Chloe practically screamed as she was kept in her seat by Sabrina.

“Miss Bourgeois, please be quiet. This is a very serious issue, and I will not have you nor idle threats of your father muddying the matter,” the bearded headmaster of the school said, before turning to Rose and Juleka. “Miss Lambotte, I cannot and will not tolerate violence in this school. You are suspended for one month, starting today. I have already called your father, he has informed me that he is willing to allow me to release you to walk home on your own,” he said.

“ **What!?** One measly month, is that all? She should be taken to jail for years! Decades! She  **hit** me!” Chloe screamed, as Rose slowly pulled herself out of her chair. While the spoiled girl and the head teacher argued, the girl, sobbing loudly, ran from the room, slamming the door behind her as she went. Juleka moved to follow, then turned back to the head teacher, not sure if she was even allowed to follow after her.

“As for the rest of you, I want you to return to help clean up the courtyard at once! And if I hear so much as a complaint from  **any** of you, I will be putting all three of you in detention for a week!” he snapped angrily. Juleka huffed, and moved to the door, opening it as the two troublemakers headed for it. She slammed it back behind her just as Chloe had arrived. Meanwhile, down in the courtyard, the kids from class 7 had seen Rose run past, heading out the wide gateway entrance, crying her eyes out.

“Rose! What happened?” Marinette exclaimed, glancing around wildly, as the girl ran from the school grounds.

“We all saw the slap, girl. She's probably been suspended, or worse,” Alya said, sweeping up some of the discarded paper plates and plastic cups that had gotten scattered. Rose had indeed slapped Chloe first, but the girl had quickly responded by lashing out, and shoving Rose into the large display of cakes, sending them scattering all over the floor.

“Someone should go talk to her. Can you cover for me while I go after her?” Adrien asked from nearby. Marinette squeaked, and nodded her head hurriedly, babbling something about it being her pleasure to cover him, before getting embarrassed and hiding behind Alya, who nodded with a smirk on her face.

  
  


Meanwhile, Rose ran on and on, sobbing as she did, apologetically bumping into people as she went. Eventually, she found herself outside her own front door, in the private courtyard that was her parents back garden. She fell to her knees, tears dropping to the ground beneath her as she cried. Deep within the rooftops of Paris, an automatic window opened, shedding light upon a large room filled with flitting, dazzling white butterflies. In the centre of the room, a masked man loomed.

“I can feel it, the heartbreak and betrayal! A kind gesture shattered by a cruel heart. Perfect fodder for my evil little akuma!” he said to himself, allowing one of the butterflies to land upon his gloved hand. He cupped his hand over it, and the butterfly began to absorb dark power from him. It became a dark, shadowy black akuma, flittering up and out of the open window with ease. It was only a short trip to find the distraught girl, who had curled up in front of the back door to her house, sobbing. In one hand she still held the little fork that she had picked up before she struck Chloe, and it was that that the little black butterfly settled upon. A shadow had formed over Rose's eyes, a halo of dark energy in the shape of a butterfly forming just above her skin.

“Hear me, Bon Apetit. Why not take fantastic revenge on the girl? Become my wicked witch, and I will grant you the power to show her exactly why you should never steal snacks! But in return, I want you to take something that's not on the menu; Chat Noir and Ladybug's miraculous!” he exclaimed.

“Wha... b-but... I really... shouldn't...” she mumbled, feeling shooting pains all through her body. The masked man arched an eyebrow at this, he had never before encountered someone who could resist the akumatisation process. He spent a few moments considering wether to force the issue or not.

“Very well. I shall take my akuma away from you, and you will never have the power to take your revenge. Forever a push over,” he said, beginning to drag the power back from the girl.

“No! Wait, please! I.... I... I will do it. I will accept your gift,” she said, as the inky black shadows enveloped her. When she emerged, she was dressed in a large dark pink witches hat, with blue marks running along her cheeks, from her eyes. Her dress had transformed into a long, flowing pink and black gown, adorned with crisscross snacks, jammy buttons and all manner of sweet treats, as was the hat, and the elbow length pink gloves she now wore. In one hand, she carried a colossal fork, almost as tall as she was.

“Excellent! Now go, my sweet witch, and show them exactly what happens when they overindulge their sweet tooth!” the male said, cackling with glee.

  
  


Back at the school, the tidy up had gone well. All the discarded cakes and sweets had been gathered up into several black bins, which were dotted around the courtyard.

“Well, that could have gone better…” Marinette lamented, leaning against a brick wall.

“Yeah. Poor Rose, she of all people didn’t deserve getting Chloed. Possibly a worse fate than getting one of those horrible little black butterflies taking you over…” Alya said, shuddering a little.

“Alya… do you… do you remember being…you know…” Marinette asked after a short while. The dark skinned girl closed her eyes, leaning against the wall next to Marinette, resting her head upon the shorter girls own.

“Bits and pieces. Nothing good. Just… lots of anger, and blackness. There was also a voice, telling me... her… what to do. It was scary. I hope you never have to go through it, Marinette,” she said, her expression somber. Mumbling wordlessly in return, she gently pushed back against Alya, a gesture of mutual trust between the two girls. Before either one could say anything more, a loud cry came from the front of the school. Both girls jumped, and Alya’s expression changed to one of intrigue in an instant.

“That sounds bad…” Marinette lamented.

“That sounds juicy! The life of a blogger is fraught with suspense!” Alya said with a grin, pulling her camera out of her bag.

“Err… you go ahead, I’ve got to, uh… uh… go pee!” Marinette exclaimed, dashing off towards the toilets. Alya rolled her eyes, and headed off towards the commotion.

  
  


“Hmm, this drab old building needs sweetening up!” Bon Apetit said to herself as she looked up at the schools entrance. She twirled her colossal fork around a few times, before pointing it upwards at the centre of the entranceway. A beam of pink, sparkly energy erupted from it, soaring into the building, where it send shockwaves through the brickwork. Slowly, the energy began to spread, transforming the brick into gingerbread, the window panes into sugar, and the gutters and moldings into white icing.

“Hey, what are you doing?” one of the nearby students exclaimed, drawing her attention. She glared at him, turning her attention from the task at hand.

“Making the world a sweeter place, dearie,” she replied with a smile. The student rolled his eyes, and took a step towards her.

“Well, you can’t just do that, it’s, uh, vandalism? It’s not yours to mess with,” he said, walking further towards her.

“Oh really? Well then, I guess I’ll just have to mess with you instead,” she said thrusting the fork forwards, sending a beam directly into the boy, instantly transforming him into a gingerbread man. The witch grabbed the pastry out of the air, and took a bite of its leg, spitting it out with a look of disgust. “Uugh, not nearly sweet enough. Ah well, I’m sure one of you is,” she said, glancing up at the remaining gathered students, who began to scatter, screaming loudly. “Ahahahaha! Run run run as fast as you can! You cannot escape from my gingerbread prison!” Bon Apetit exclaimed loudly, as she glided through into the courtyard, using her fork to float off the ground. Behind her, the entranceway sealed up as dozens of thick candycane shards emerged from the gingerbread ground, locking into one another tightly. “Hear me, my pretties! I am not here for you, I only want Chloe Bourgeois! Bring her to me, and I will let you all go free. I will even restore your horrible little building! Defy me, and I will turn you all into tasty bite sized treats, and gobble you up!” she called out.

“You’ll never find Chloe! Ladybug and Chat Noir will stop you!” Alya cried out, clearly nervous as her shaking legs and cracking voice betrayed. Bon Apetit arched an eyebrow, and pointed her fork towards the girl, who attempted to turn and run, only to find herself encased in a gingerbread cage. After a few moments, she let out a laugh.

“Do you find something amusing about your cage?” the witch asked.

“Uh, duh, it’s made of gingerbread. Let me put it this way,” she said, leaning in to bite one of the bars, crunching it apart with ease. She chewed and swallowed with a smirk.

“Oh, woe is me, you have figured out the weakness to my power,” Bon said with a devilish grin as she walked towards the cage, grabbing an empty jar from one of the nearby tables. As she walked closer and closer, her red leather pointy toed boots slapping on the ground, to Sabrina she seemed to be growing taller and taller. The witch reached past the bars, and grabbed the shrinking girl whilst she was still too dumbfounded to react. She held her over the open mouth of the jar, and dropped her in, sealing the lid afterwards. She then pierced it a couple of times with a toothpick, and looked in at the tiny girl, grinning widely.

“ **Let me out!** ” she screamed, but her tiny voice was barely audible outside the jar. Bon Apetit giggled, and set the jar onto the empty cake table.

“How cute! Like a little mouse,” she said, turning her attention back to her task.

  
  


“Tiki, those screams are telling me that it’s time. Transform me!” Marinette said once she had gotten into the toilets. She had made sure first that no-one else was present, and spoke the words that would begin her transformation. She brushed her fingers against the magical earrings that made one half of the transformation, as the other half, the Qwami named Tiki, span around her, vanishing in a stream of light. The light surged over the young girl, dissolving her clothes and replacing them with the snug fitting, skin tight yet oddly flexbile red and black membrane that made up her superhero costume, her alter ego, Ladybug. Her magical Yoyo, her weapon and transportation, appeared at her hip, and then her mask, whose magical properties made it difficult for people seeing her to match her features to her civilian form. She burst out of the rest room, kicking the door open, which shattered into a rain of confectionary. She flipped up and over the balcony, which, owing to the metal railings being turned into candy canes, snapped, sending the girl tumbling to the ground with a thud.

“Owww… This is already one of the more annoying akuma abilities,” she muttered to herself, as she jumped back upright, spinning her yoyo aggressively.

“Good afternoon, Ladybug! I was looking forward to your visit. Please, won’t you have a seat, enjoy a treat or some tea?” Bon Apetit said, as she sat upon a throne of gingerbread and cake, made from the discarded contents of the lunch.

“Get real! You’re an Akuma possessed bad guy, and I’m a hero. Why would do that?” Ladybug replied, advancing on the villain, who arched an eyebrow.

“Because you’re the hero, and I’ve done nothing wrong. True, I have committed a little bit of, aha, vandalism, but how else was I going to get your attention, hmm? Plus, it would look quite bad for the hero to be attacking someone who was not resisting, was unarmed, and, in fact, was trying to enjoy a spot of afternoon tea,” Bon replied, her smile rising upwards slowly. Ladybug halted, eyes narrowing into a glare.

“You have a point. Fine. What do you want, Rose?” she said, crossing her arms.

“Bon Apetit is my name. I just want to talk, for now. Unlike most of my Akumatised brethren, I don’t feel that violence is the best course of action all the time. Please, seat, enjoy. Oh, come now, there’s nothing to be afraid of, here, pick one, and I will eat it, will that satisfy your fears?” the witch said. Ladybug stepped closer, inspecting the chair she had been offered, before sitting. It had appeared to be made of wood, but on closer inspection the chair was made of chocolate.

“Fine, that one,” she said, pointing to one of the little cookies. The witch happily took it, and bit into it, chewing happily before swallowing.

“Delicious. Now, Miss Ladybug, to the matter at hand,” she said, as she offered a plate to the hero, who took three of the little snacks, more for show than anything else. “I know my demands might seem a touch harsh, but I think, given the circumstances, they are fair. I’m not asking for the world,” she said.

“Mmhm… and what  **are** you asking for?” Ladybug asked, looking around the area. It suddenly dawned on her that someone who should have been in the courtyard wasn’t. “What’s happened to Alya?” she asked.

“I’m simply asking for Chloe to come and face the consequences for her crimes. She ought to be punished, correct?” Bon went on, drumming on the table next to the hidden jar that held Marinette’s best friend.

“Your sort of punishment is never appropriate or proportionate to the crime. A young boy gets beaten at a computer game, so he vaporises half of Paris? An adult says no to a party, at their own house, so all adults get sent up into the atmosphere? You’re all crazy! Where. Is.  **Alya?** ” she snapped, pushing herself to her feet, sending the chair falling backwards.

“Hardly proportionate. She stole my snack, so I’m going to eat her,” the witch replied, her half smile revealing her tongue as looked up at Ladybug.

“What!? How do you intend to do that?” she all but shrieked.

“Simple. By shrinking her down to tiny size. Just like I did to Alya and... Ladybug,” she said, lunging forwards suddenly. She struck Ladybug in the chest with an elbow, knocking the wind out of the hero. The strike wasn’t strong enough to send her backwards, but it was certainly enough to make her mouth open involuntarily. It was the work of a deft hand that sent the little cookie flying from Ladybug’s plate into her open mouth, where it hit the back of the girl’s throat, triggering her swallow reflex. The superhero gulped, and quickly span on her heels, scrambling away from the witch, hiding off somewhere in the school, as Bon Apetit cackled loudly.

“Bye bye, little Ladybug! Hahahaha!!!”


	3. Little Snacks

“E-everyone, we need to c-calm down. If she finds us, who knows what will happen,” Mylene said from her desk. Most of the class had made it back to room 7, before the door had sealed shut as it transformed into gingerbread.

“Acording to my calculations, we would each only have to eat approximately three quarters of a pound of gingerbread to destroy enough of the door to allow us to escape. Even little Alix could manage that,” Max said, with a little snort of a laugh as an afterthought. The tiny speedster shot the nerdy boy a glance, growling angrily.

“I absolutely refuse to eat a door! The very idea! Sabrina, you can eat my portion,” Chloe said, from her hiding place beneath the teacher's desk.

“Hey numbnuts, she's gonna be struggling to eat all these chilli cheese stuffs, don't put the pressure of gingerbread on her too!” Kim said, chuckling loudly, before letting out a pained whimper as the tiny girl stomped powerfully on his foot under the desk.

“I'm worried about the others. There's been no sign of Adrien, Alya and especially Marinette! We need to go find them!” Nathanael added. The class continued to squabble, as Juleka attempted to tune it all out. She was most worried for Rose. She, like everyone else in class, knew what it was like to become one of those dark fiends, to be at the whim of your own dark thoughts. She felt at a loss as to what to do, usually, she would trust Rose's judgement, but she wasn't there. As she debated her options, there came a shriek from the door. Everyone, save for herself and Chloe, had gathered around it, and they seemed to be attempting to eat their way through it, when Mylene let out a cry. She scurried back from the door, rubbing her eyes and blinking over and over.

“I'm getting smaller!!” she cried out, as the rest of the gathered kids looked to her.

“I dunno, you seem about the same size as before, I really don't  **aack! What the hell!** ” Alix cried out, regarding her own height, standing up fully and only about reaching half the height of the door itself.

“Oh god we're getting smaller!” Nathanael cried out, whimpering as he too had begun to dwindle. Arching an eyebrow, Juleka pushed herself upright, and padded over to the door, where her classmates were all getting tinier and tinier. The shrinking process seemed to stop them all at approximately four inches tall, give or take, depending on their original height.

“Whoa... so cool,” she breathed, as they turned to see her, a series of tiny squeaks and yells coming from her classmates. She smiled faintly, letting out a little giggle as Alix squeaked and yelled, her voice barely audible even in the relative quiet of the classroom.

“What happened to them!?” Chloe shrieked, causing at least two of the tiny classmates to flinch.

“They got smaller,” Juleka replied idly.

“Well, I know  **that** , you brainless goof! Uugh, this is so horrible! I'm surrounded by tacky snacks that will make me tiny if I eat, and I'm so hungry... All I've had to eat today is that average tasting mango napoleon, and I only got to eat about half of it. Goth girl, find me something to eat, something safe,” she said, and Juleka glanced from her to the rest of the class.

“No. They need protecting,” she said, offering her arms to the tiny kids, scooping them up with ease. She set them all on her desk, and sat down, sighing faintly. “Rose would know what to do...” she mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose.

  
  


“Well, this just makes me want to hiss...” Chat Noir commented as he sat on a light pole, opposite CFD. As Adrien, he had run after Rose, only to encounter the villain Bon Apetit zooming back towards the school. It had been the work of a moment to find a private area to transform, and he had given chase, only to be stopped by the rock solid candy cane doorway. He had then attempted to break in using his rod, only to find the candy too hard to break. Now, whenever he got close, all the little gingerbread men that lay on the pavement would come to life, and attack him, but they would never pursue. He had been tempted to take a bite out of one, but his instincts had kicked in, and, more importantly, his sense of smell told him it would be a terrible idea. Now, the news and the police were starting to turn up, and he was feeling a bit of a stress headache coming on.

“Come on, I only want to crash the tea party!” he called out, watching the animated snacks patrol the door. He sighed, and retracted his rod, and activated the communication mode in the metal device. The machine rang a few times, before being picked up.

“ **Chat where the hell are you this school is a nightmare! A bundle of terrors wrapped up in a saccharine sheen!** ” Ladybug's voice came from the other end of the line, higher pitched than usual. The lycra clad hero recoiled from the yelling, fumbling his phone before catching it again.

“Always a pleasure to hear from you, my lady, but I'm afraid you might have to stop with the helium before you explain what you mean,” he replied, grinning widely.

“This is no time for silly comments, Chat! I've been shrunk by Bon Apetit, the Akumatised Rose! She's going to eat Chloe!  **The schools kitchen is a death trap full of hazards!** ” she exclaimed, whimpering faintly. Currently, she was hidden behind a large pot of cooking utensils, panting weakly.

“Forgive me, it was just a little joke,” the male replied, his smirk growing even wider.

“Chat!!” Ladybug shrieked, causing the male to stifle a chuckle with his hand.

“Sorry, my lady. I guess I'll just have to break my way in. Shame I don't have a giant glass of milk to go with this tough cookie,” he said, cancelling the phone as another groan came from the line. The male focused his energy into his hand, and his eyes flashed open. “ **Cataclysm!** ” he exclaimed, as a dark energy began to pulse around his costume's claws. He leaped up and over the gap between the lamp and the building, thrusting the glowing claw into the building. His magical power began to instantly rot and decay, falling apart under the weight of the feline super hero. He rolled as he crashed through the wall, standing up with his pole drawn.

“Chat Noir! You are late!” Chloe snapped loudly once the shards of sugarglass, gingerbread and icing had settled.

“Oh! Forgive me, but I had to go out on a snack run first! Stay here, don't get caught, you know the rules by now,” he said, winking to the girl before darting to the door of the room, kicking it apart with ease, vanishing into the school.

  
  


“Finally! What took you so long Chat! It is **not** safe to be 4 inches tall in a kitchen!” Ladybug exclaimed as Chat ran over to her, a big grin on his face.

“Oh? Sounds like a tall tale to me. Or a... tall tail?” he said, holding up his own tail, before letting out a snort of laughter. Ladybug groaned, rolling her eyes, but she knew what he was trying to do. All the puns were to settle her nerves, and she did admit she needed calming at the moment.

“Uugh, Your jokes are a cat-astrophe,” she replied, and the boy grinned, offering his hand to her. She stepped onto it, and he lifted her up onto his shoulder.

“I'm purrfect, thankyouverymuch. Now, who's the akuma, and what's our plan?” he asked.

“The akuma is called Bon Apetit. She can turn objects into food, and that food will make you shrink to about this size,” Ladybug replied. “She and I have talked, it seems like she isn't much of a physical fighter, so we may be able to simply overwhelm her. I couldn't figure out what her akumatised object was though,” she went on, hanging her head.

“Not to worry, my little lady, we'll figure it out! More importantly, we need to figure out a way to get you big again, otherwise we won't be able to seal the evil away...” Chat replied, looking all over the kitchen. All over, there were still metal surfaces, knives, utensils and bowls that hadn't been touched by the magic. With Ladybug still on his shoulder, he began to look around, trying to find a common theme.

“Something the matter?” she asked, and he glanced around.

“Hmm... something's fishy, and I don't just mean my last meal,” he said, tapping his chin.

“So you noticed it too. All this stuff is used in food preparation regularly. I think her weakness may have something to do with food, all she produces is sweet things, and there's a huge mix of savoury, spicy and sour things that get prepared here, and not a lot of sweet,” she said.

“So... dump a bowl of chilli on her?” he said, opening the fridge to see a large bowl of chilli sauce. Ladybug nodded with a grin.

“I can't see why it would be bad,” she said.

  
  


“Uugh, you gothy freak, what are you doing! Mr Noir said for us to stay here and hide, **why** are you looking out the window?” Chloe snapped from behind the teachers desk. Juleka continued to look out the window, watching Bon Apetit move about the school, hunting for Chloe.

“Rose...” she mumbled to herself.She looked over to Chloe, who recoiled from the stare.

“Eww. Oh, that's just your face, never mind. Get away from the window and protect me!” she snapped. Juleka glanced over to the rest of the shrunken class, who were all milling about on the desk, and a dark grin formed on her face.

“Chloe... this is all your fault you know,” she said, glaring even more at the blonde.

“What on earth are you even talking about?” Chloe replied.

“Every time! You do something horrible to ruin someone else's day, they get targetted, everyone suffers. It's all because of you! You know, you never apologised to me for locking me in the toilet on photo day. You never apologised to Ivan, or to Mylene, or Alix!” she snapped, advancing on the girl, slamming her hands down on the teacher's gingerbread desk. The blonde recoiled in fear, sliding back against the wall of the class.

“Well, what do you want from me? Sorry you losers are so sensitive? Sorry you can;t handle the truth? Sorry you mrrrphh!!” she began, as Juleka tossed a broken piece of gingerbread into the girl's mouth. Chloe bit and swallowed before she realised what had occured, and then stared across at her, wide eyed.

“What the hell did you just do to me!?” she shrieked, as she began to shrink down.

“I'm making you sorry,” Juleka replied, watching the girl get smaller and smaller. She grabbed the tiny girl, and stuffed her into one of her trouser pockets, before heading out the door.

  
  


“Oh! Chat Noir, you found my little Ladybug for me! How kind!” Bon Apetit exclaimed, as the dark clothed super hero landed in front of her. She scampered off without hearing the last part of my negotiation,” she said with a smile.

“The last part I heard was you telling me you were going to  **eat** Chloe! We can't allow th...” Ladybug began.

“Ohh, squeak squeak squeak, she does know I can't hear her, right? Such a silly little bug. But you, Chat Noir, are a big boy, and I don't think I can tempt you with my sweet treats,” Bon went on, a devilish little grin on her face.

“Ohh, those puns even hurt me, sorry, I'm just not feline them right now,” he replied, flicking his pole out to its usual fighting length. “But I'm definitely down to give you some pawnishment!” he added, lunging forwards.

“Oh god, stop it already!” Ladybug squeaked as she clung on to Chat's shoulder. As the superhero lunged in, swinging his staff in for a strike to the woman's stomach, she stomped on the ground, sending her fork spinning upwards. She caught it in the air, and thrust it forwards, catching the attack and deflecting it away. Noir attacked again, this time in a low sweeping motion that Bon had to jump over, before ducking and shying away as the hero continued his assault.

“Hah! We've got you cornered now!” Noir said, as the akumatised girl was indeed backed into a corner.

“Right where I want to be,” Bon replied, swinging the fork in a wide arc, a pink beam sweeping out along her attack. Chat was able to dodge by backflipping over it, but unfortunately, Ladybug was unable to keep her grip, and she tumbled to the floor. All around them, any cakes or snacks that had been hit by the beam began to morph, transforming into humanoid versions of themselves. These little creatures began to swarm around Noir and Ladybug, launching themselves at them haphazardly.

“Chat! You deal with these, I've got a good idea now where her Akuma is! Don't forget the plan, too,” Ladybug exclaimed, leaping up and out of the circle of cake golems, and onto the top of his head.

“Anything for you, my little lady! I'll serve up some justice!” Chat replied, taking a fighting pose. Ladybug tossed her yoyo out, swinging up and away from him, onto the floor above, before retracting it, and sending the device straight upwards with a spin.

“Lucky Charm!” she yelled, as the thing span faster and faster above her, producing a blinding white light. From the light emerged what to normal hands would have been a small toy gun, with a suction cup dart loaded into it, with a string tied to the dart, but for Ladybug, it was roughly the same size as she was. “Oh, great, couldn't've given me something at least managable at this size...” she muttered. “Now all I need is a distractiong, and...” she began, only to be interrupted by a loud yell from the stairs.

  
  


“ **Hey!** ” Juleka yelled loudly, as she stepped slowly down the stairs. Her gaze was fixed firmly on Bon Apetit, and she was shaking slightly.

“Aaah, dang it, the rules applied to you too! Eeep!” Chat exclaimed, as he attempted to fight off the snack monsters that were swamping him. Juleka ignored the hero, her gaze still locked on Bon Apetit.

“Ohh, my precious Juleka! How wonderful to...” the akumatised girl began.

“No! I'm not  **your** Juleka. I am  **Rose's** Juleka! You aren't Rose any more,” she snapped, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes. Bon regarded her for a few moments, before letting out a faint chuckle.

“Hmmh. Then what's your point? Why come here, into this fight, with nothing to say and nothing to do?” she asked, flexing her fingers around her huge fork's handle.

“I have something you want. And you have something I want,” the taller girl replied, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out the tiny Chloe, who let out a scream, trying to wriggle free.

“ **Chloe!** Juleka, no!” Chat cried out, reaching one arm towards her through the onslaught of food monsters.

“Juleka! What is she doing...” Ladybug exclaimed as she watched, still trying to figure out how to use her Charm.

“Ahh! Yes, my little snack, I'll admit, I do want her very badly! Fine. I'm willing to negotiate. What is it I have that you want?” Bon said, relaxing her stance.

“Rose. I want a chance to bring her back, before you do what you want with Chloe,” the girl said. Chat rolled his eyes with a groan.

“Ah.... Acceptable. Go ahead, attempt to appeal to that bubble headed idealist,” Bon said, and Juleka gulped. She slowly stepped forwards, placing Chloe inside a jar on one of the nearby tables. She approached the akumatised girl, her eyes closed.

“Rose... please, I know you're in there. I've been there. Please fight it, fight  **him** . I know you can do it, you're one of the strongest, kindest, most wondeful people I know and I.. I... I really miss you,” she said, her voice degenerating into a whisper by the end of her speech.

“Oh, Juleka.... your touching appeal has called out to me! I will renounce my evil ways, and in no way eat the tiny girl who wronged us. Pah! How sappy! Ohh, I miss you, ohh, you're wonderful, how ridiculous! I'm getting toothache just thinking about it! Well, you tried your best, and failed miserably as always. And now, I will claim my prize,” she said, pushing past the sobbing girl, grabbing at the jar on the table. Juleka looked up, catching Ladybug's gaze, and winked. As she did, everything in Ladybug's mind seemed to click, and she nodded. Bon Apetit held the jar up high, giggling loudly to herself.

“No! Stop, graaahh!! I never thought I'd grow to hate cake this much!” Chat exclaimed, trying desperately to free himself.

“Oh, my sweet snack, I've been waiting for this! Oh, stop being like that, I'd hate for you to leave a sour taste in my mouth,” she said, before tilting the jar forwards. Chloe looked down into the girl's open mouth, her tongue twitching lightly, and screamed as she began to slide down the jar.

 

“ **Wait!** ” Juleka exclaimed loudly. Bon halted Chloe's descent, tilting the jar back upright.

“What now? You've had your chance, Juleka,” she said, glaring across at the girl with purple streaks in her hair.

“It's just... If Rose is gone... I don't... I...” she stammered, blushing faintly. “I w-wanted to... experience... that,” she said, blushing brightly.

“That? Oh! Ohohoho! You want to be the first into my tummy? How delightful! Certainly my dear, go ahead,” she said, resting her fork upon a nearby table.

“Yes! That's perfect! Go Juleka!” Ladybug said to herself, spinning her yoyo before letting it loose, having it loop over one of the rafters. She allowed herself and the toy gun to be pulled up with her. She then knotted the string of her Yoyo around the gun, locking it in place, and fired the suction cup, which landed squarely on the middle of the fork. Juleka, meanwhile, had taken a bite from one of the nearby snacks, and was beginning her shrink.

“You look so delightful, darling! Mmmh, my mouth is watering just thinking of how divine you'll feel sliding down my throat!” Bon Apetit said, reaching down to pick the nervous girl up. She pinched Juleka between her finger and thumb, and dangled the girl over her open maw, slowly lowering her onto her tongue.

“ **Chat! Now!** ” Ladybug shouted, her voice being carried by the echoing rafters enough that she could be heard. The male hero nodded, and began to pour the chilli sauce from the bowl onto the cake monsters, which seemed to dissolve away at it's touch. Ladybug grabbed the string from the suction cup, and jumped, using all her weight to pull the huge fork upwards.

“No!” Bon exclaimed, dropping Juleka and turning to reach for the fork. Chat leaped through the air, grabbing the thing just before the akumatised girl could. He landed, bent the thing over his knee, and then positioned it under his foot. Raising one hand, he caught Ladybug as she fell, and stomped on the fork, shattering the metal weapon.

“And that's how we do that!” Chat said, watching the little shadow butterfly emerge from the weapon.

“I really hope this works...” Ladybug said, sliding her finger along her Yoyo, causing it to separate and reveal the blinding white light that would capture the Akuma. She span the toy wildly, before latching it to the dark butterfly, which was indeed dragged into it. “Bye bye little butterfly... or should I say me sized butterfly!” she exclaimed, as the pure white butterfly emerged from the device. “Uh... Chat, I don't think I'll be able to toss the charm today. Would you do the honours?” she asked.

“As always, my little lady, it would be my pleasure. Can I say the line too?” he asked, with a smirk.

“Alright, on three. One, two, three,” Ladybug said.

“Miraculous Ladybug!” both heroes exclaimed, as Chat tossed the toy gun into the air. A rainbow of light erupted from the toy, spreading out over the whole of Paris. All the magical changes that Bon Apetit had made began to reverse, beginning with the regrowing of everyone who had shrunk, then moving on to the restoration of the school, and lastly, with the deakumatisation of Rose, who stood there, blinking, confused.

“Uh... what happened? Why am I back at school?” she asked, before an excited Juleka let out a happy squeak, pulling the girl down into a tight hug.

“Good job!” Chat and Ladybug said, bumping fists triumphantly. Almost immediately, both of their Miraculous, the magical devices that allowed them to become heroes, began to beep loudly.

“Ah! Only a minute left!” Chat exclaimed.

“Two for me. Guess we'll have to con-cat-ulate ourselves another time,” Ladybug said with a wink.

“Ah, my lady, please leave the cat jokes to me,” Chat said, and the two heroes dashed off, fleeing before their magical items ran out of power.

“No! Wait, Ladybug! Arrrgh! Every time! I just want one measly little interview, is that so much to ask?” Alya cried out, as the black and red clad hero vanished over the rooftops.

  
  


“Bah! Foolish little girl! You could have taken Chat's miraculous with ease, instead, you chose your petty revenge! Next time, Ladybug, Chat Noir, I  **will** get your Miraculous!” Papillon snarled, as he felt his akuma vanish, shuddering as the energies dissipated from within him. He glared out into the rooftops of Paris, gripping his cane tightly as the window closed shut.

  
  


“So you see, Mr Damocles, Chloe stole something that was quite clearly not hers. There was even a label on the lid. I'm truly sorry for lashing out how I did, but, it was not an unprovoked attack,” Rose said, as she, Juleka, Chloe and Marinette stood in the headmaster's office.

“Is this true?” The male said, addressing Marinette.

“Yes sir. My father made the Mango Napoleon himself, and gave it to me in a labelled container. The only way Chloe would have gotten to it was by knowingly disregarding the label,” Marinette replied.

“I see. Well, this does shed new light on the situation. Miss Bourgeois, for your part in this, you will be in detention for three weeks. Miss Lambotte, I cannot reverse the suspension, but I can reduce it's duration to one week, and I will allow someone from your class to make notes to take to you. I also have to ban you from organising any more school events,” he said, his tone much less harsh than it had been earlier. In his experience, it was often a good idea to be lenient on children who had recently been akumatised.

“Thank you sir,” Rose said softly.

“ **What!? Two weeks!** ” Chloe exclaimed loudly. As she began to rant, the other three girls slipped out of the room, as Marinette slipped an apologetic look tot he headmaster.

“Thank you for defending me, Marinette. A week, I think I can handle...” Rose said softly.

“I'll bring you notes every day, I promise,” Juleka said, and the shorter girl nodded with a weak smile.

  
  


That evening, Juleka knocked on Rose's door, and was let in by her father, who nodded to her. They did not speak much, but there was a mutual respect between the two.

“Juleka! I'm up in my room!” Rose called out, as the dark haired girl climbed the stairs of the cramped little house. She sidled into the girl's room, which was packed from floor to ceiling with various items that denoted the girls various hobbies. Easels, cardboard boxes, toolboxes, paints, wood, metal, everything that could be made into something else, it was there.

“Hey. I took notes from the last class of the day. School was boring without you there,” Juleka said, sitting on the girl's bed, the only free space in the room other than the chair Rose sat on.

“I'm so sorry. For everything. I was such an idiot...” Rose mumbled faintly.

“Not an idiot. We've all been through it. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you back...” Juleka replied, unable to meet Rose's gaze.

“Juleka! You have nothing to apologise for, nothing! Today was all my fault! I shouldn't have listened to him, I shouldn't have hit Chloe, I shouldn't... I shouldn't have tried to force you into trying sweet things again...” she said. Juleka let out a little chuckle at this, and gestured for the girl to come and sit next to her.

“You know... there are one or two sweet things I do like,” she said softly.

“Other than mango?”

“Other than mango, yes.”

“Like what?” Rose asked. Juleka moved forwards with some speed, not a hasty dart forwards but with a firm, purposeful press. One of her hands rested delicately upon Rose’s hips, the other sliding up her side, then her back, resting on the back of the girl’s neck. Her slightly parted lips met Roses as a passionate little noise escaped the taller girl’s throat, and Rose let out a surprised whimper. The blonde girl quickly closed her eyes, leaning against Juleka, her hands gripping the dark haired girl’s waistband, pulling her tightly. Juleka’s tongue slowly made its way out from her mouth, teasinging along Rose’s puffy pink lips, delicately, agonisingly running along her top lip, and then her bottom. Juleka pulled back after a few more seconds, as Rose gasped for air, panting weakly.

“Sweet and innocent, utterly delicious,” Juleka whispered, blushing brightly as she leaned into the girl, pulling her for a warm embrace. Rose giggled and blushed at this, still shaken by the experience, but utterly enthralled by the girl she loved.

“You tasted like strawberries,” Rose replied with a giggle, as Juleka’s blush deepened.

“L-lip gloss,” she mumbled, causing Rose to burst into giggles again. The tall girl sighed, smiling as she pressed her head against Roses.

“Love you,” she said quietly.

“I love you too. Can you stay the night… my Juleka?” Rose asked, turning slightly to hide the vibrant pink blush on her face. She felt the soft velvet of the girl’s fingerless glove touch her chin, slowly pulling her head upwards. Juleka’s eyes locked with Roses, and the tall girl nodded slowly. Rose smiled, and leaned upwards, pressing her lips against Julekas for the second time of what would lead to many hundreds that night.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this fic started out as Roleka fluff, but has since basically become an entire episode of the show, because I'm a fool. I am hoping to make this fic 3 chapters long, though it may become 4 if things pan out differently. Hope you enjoyed it so far, I would love to hear feedback and comments, so please don't be scared to let me know how you felt about the story!


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